Take Five: Longer days ahead!


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FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS

Our Mission: To inspire stewardship of Pennsylvania's state parks and forests

Kings Gap Environmental Education Center
Photo by Jessica Mitchell

Happy Friday before the Winter Solstice! Beginning tomorrow at 4:21 AM the days will start getting longer again and we'll welcome the rebirth of the sun. As I am sure you know, festivals and rites celebrating the solstice have been around for eons; I was interested to read about one that isn't all that old - the burning of the clocks in Brighton, England. Begun in 1994, the Burning of the Clocks was started as a small antidote to the commercialism of Christmas.

It's never too early to burn off the relics of the old and welcome the new.

The photos of this week are pretty special - the People's Choice winners in the 2024 Parks & Forests Through the Season photo contest. It was a really nice mix of state park and state forest winners this year.

We'll begin in the masthead with the People's Choice Best in Show - the overall highest vote getter - coming out of the "Awe" category. Safe to say that's "Awwwwww" as well as "Awe."

Researchers are finding that awe is an emotion that can have many benefits for health and well-being, including reduced stress and anxiety, improved mood, enhanced creativity, and an increased ability to problem solve. All that from moments in the outdoors!

Give the pic a click to see the full view of a gorgeous sky. Or visit the Gallery on the PPFF website for all the photos and a reminder of the Judges' Choice winners as well!

Congratulations to all the winners, and heartfelt thanks to all who entered. You can bet I'll be mining the entries for a long time!

Pam Metzger,

Membership Coordinator

pmetzger@paparksandforests.org

814.233.5703

NEWS OF NOTE

Oh, more sad news to share right off the bat this week. Doug Hoehn, long-time manager at Ohiopyle State Park, passed last Thursday the 12th. Doug was an important part of the completion of the Great Allegheny Passage as it was developed through the park. His predecessor, Larry Adams, got the bike wheels rolling for the first nearly 10 miles in the park and when Doug came onto the scene in 1989 he helped shepherd completion of the trail from Confluence to Connellsville.

Ten thousand thank yous to Pennian Bank for their $10,000 donation to the EITC fund. The Educational Improvement Tax Credit program allows businesses to invest a portion of their tax dollars into innovative education programs.

Contributions to PPFF's EITC fund watershed education as well as the "One Bird, Two Habitats" program focusing on bird migration. For more information, visit our EITC page on the website.

If you've paid the Commonwealth's website a visit recently you will have noticed some big changes. This goes for DCNR as well, where a new look (and a new URL: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dc...) await you.

The agency's blog has been retired and the Resource newsletter may be getting a refresh. Resource readers (and anyone who might be interested in receiving state parks/forests news from somewhere other than this weekly missive or our three-times-a-year Penn's Stewards) are invited to take part in a survey.

TAKE THE SURVEY

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Each of these are in their own way great choices for jigsaw puzzles. But I zeroed in on the two "Beyond the Edge" entries for two very different experiences.

The balletic turtle and his little arabesque? Go to https://jigex.com/3bdVo

More interested in the moody lighthouse? Solve that one at https://jigex.com/ynVys

First Place - Awe

Forbes State Forest

Photo by Wendy Hampe

Runner Up - Awe

Kooser State Park

Photo by Sabine Panzner

First Place - Beyond the Edge

French Creek State Park

Photo by Todd Underwood

Runner Up - Beyond the Edge

Presque Isle State Park

Photo by Rick Baker

First Place - Leap Into the Lesser Known

Fowlers Hollow State Park

Photo by Liz Mickley

Runner Up - Leap Into the Lesser Known

Pinchot State Forest

Photo by Jason Philibotte

First Place - Leap Into New Experiences

Ricketts Glen State Park

Photo by Ally Latham

Runner Up - Leap Into New Experiences

Hyner View State Park

Photo by David Nolte

First Place - Leap Into Volunteerism

Pine Grove Furnace State Park

Photo by Sam Rob

Runner Up - Leap Into Volunteerism

Tioga State Forest

Photo by Linda Stager

First Place - Young Photographers

Ricketts Glen State Park

Photo by Addelyn Brown

Runner Up - Young Photographers

Weiser State Forest

Photo by Christian Scheibe

WHERE ARE WE THIS WEEK?

IN CLOSING

Quote: From Snow Happy! by Patricia Hubbell

Photo: Paul Caulfield

Holiday whimsy! PPFF Development Committee member Paul shared this shot of "snow rollers" from a ski trip last winter along the Mountain Creek Trail at Pine Grove Furnace. Snow rollers are rare phenomena - check out the video and article from National Geographic for a closer look.

Do you see the barest hint of a smile from the twigs buried at the very bottom of the photo?

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Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization - contributions to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. The official registration and financial information of PPFF may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling, toll-free within Pennsylvania, to 800.732.0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

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